Australia and Canada Get Chobani

News EditorExport, Yogurt

Chobani yogurts are now available outside the U.S. Beginning last month, the Norwich, N.Y.-based yogurt maker began exporting to select markets in Australia and Canada. “Our regional launch in the Greater Toronto Area and New South Wales is the first step towards making Chobani available nationwide in both Canada and Australia,” says Hamdi Ulukaya, CEO and founder of Chobani. In … Read More

Yoplait Introduces Lactose Free Yogurt

News EditorYogurt

General Mills has introduced its first lactose-free yogurt under the Yoplait brand in the US. The company said Yoplait Lactose Free contains 50% the daily value of calcium in every cup, is 99% fat free and includes vitamins A and D. “For the millions of Americans who live with lactose intolerance, Yoplait Lactose Free yogurt delivers worry-free consumption with the … Read More

Yogurt Drink Improve Cholesterol

News EditorResearch, Yogurt

New findings published in the journal BMC Medicine suggest that regular consumption of a vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink improves cholesterol levels and biomarkers of heart disease, in diabetics. Sakineh Shab-Bidar and colleagues at the National Research Institute and Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology and Tehran University of Medical Sciences said not having enough vitamin D affects the inner lining … Read More

New Chobani Plant to Be in Idaho

News EditorYogurt

Agro Farma, the parent company of Chobani yogurt have announced that their new Chobani plant location is Twin Falls, Idaho. Company officials joined state and local leaders Thursday to announce plans to build a $100 million production facility and add 400 jobs to the local economy, the Times-News reported. Agro Farma founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya said the decision to … Read More

Greek Yogurt Helping N.Y. Dairy Farmers

News EditorYogurt

Greek-style yogurt is the new food trend these days, and that’s been good news for dairy farmers, particularly those in New York. A decade ago, the domestic market for Greek yogurt, a thicker, more protein-laden version of traditional mass-market yogurt, barely existed. Within the past five years, however, it has exploded, and that’s been great news for New York’s dairy … Read More

Alpina Foods to Build NY Yogurt Plant

News EditorYogurt

A South American dairy products company, Alpina Foods, plans to build its first U.S. yogurt plant in Batavia, N.Y., as part of a $15 million project. Alpina has nine plants in South America and plans to build a 28,000- square-foot factory in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park as part of its plan to establish a physical presence in the United … Read More

New Yogurt Factory in Vermont

News EditorYogurt

A new yogurt manufacturing facility, The Commonwealth Dairy, has opened in Brattleboro, Vt. The 39,000 square-foot plant will produce different yogurt formulations for other companies under a private label, as well as its own all-natural “Green Mountain Creamery” brand. Thirty-three-people work at the plant, which is capable of using 110 million pounds of milk to produce 70 million pounds of … Read More

Yoplait to Purchase Liberte

News EditorYogurt

French yogurt company Yoplait has announced the acquisition of Quebec-based yogurt company Liberte. The Quebec dairy product company, which posted $175 million in sales in 2009, has been owned by the U.S-based Swander Pace Capital private equity firm since 2003. It sells 90% of its products to the Canadian market and also exports to the U.S. Financial details of the … Read More

GM Buys Mountain High Yoghurt

News EditorYogurt

General Mills has purchased Mountain High Yoghurt, an all-natural yogurt sold in the western United States. Terms were not disclosed. “We are excited about this opportunity to double our large-size yogurt business with this strong brand,” said Becky O’Grady, president of the Yoplait division at the Golden Valley-based food company. The acquisition from Dean Foods comes at an unsettled time. … Read More

U.S. Plant Planned for Yakult

News EditorInternational, Yogurt

Yakult, a drinkable probiotic yogurt brand, will be building a production plant in the U.S. This is the first American factory for the Tokyo-based Yakult Honsha Co. The plant is planned in Fountain Valley, Calif. The facility, which will produce around 250,000 bottles of Yakult per day, is expected to begin operations in 2012. “We are looking forward to the … Read More